Scranton was small then. Now it's the Wyoming Valley and the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Carbondale metro. It was no big deal that they played at a CYO building; it was the city's commonly-rented sports and events venue (the Lackawanna Student Center & Gym). They were so hardworking at the time, playing the whole region, 20 shows in 25 days: Lancaster, Pittsburgh, Lewisburg and Meadville. This was the only time they played Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The tour both started and ended in NYC and included the Skull Fuck/Ladies & Gentlemen shows at Hammerstein Ballroom and the Fillmore E. They all had similar setlists (though the next night has a China>Rider, a Bird Song, and a Cryptical, and has a better first set).

The show used to circulate in pieces (or as filler) and no one trader seemed to have the whole show. It was mainly part of the 2nd set that seemed to show up. The show developed a reputation as a must-have, i.e. it was one of those shows that floated to the top for reasons of provenance, availability and, to some extent, playing (while others from Spring '71, like the brilliant 4/28 were overlooked, not in circ, or had poor sound). Most of what was traded from the show during the B & P era was pitched too poorly to give proper attention. But now we have much better qual available! It's a bit above average for '71 - you can find some worse shows and several better shows .The 2nd set is under an hour - not unusual for tours with the NRPS.

First Set. Casey Jones is cut on all copies. Loser-SS isn't the later, power/arena version but has a good solo. The first wide open x factor is Bertha. By this point is was commonly a set-topper (Skull Fuck wasn't out yet). The missed beat @4:47 isn't a tape anomaly. At the ensemble level the playing is detailed - check how Phil and Bobby play off each other. The next few are typical '71. There's another cut in Big Railroad and some distortion in the recording of Playin'. The latter's not a great one; it's out of tune and they bail early. The last two are the second highlight of the set. Jer's wah on Sugar Magnolia is so cool.

Second Set. Average '71 until a notable Good Lovin'. It's uptempo and the monster jam is the heart of the show. There's a brief, so-called Darkness, Darkness Jam (a quote of the Youngblood's song). Yes, the pitch correction is upward - it's that uptempo. I Second that Emotion is the 2nd of only 7 (played only this tour) and is a great cover of the Smokey Robinson song. If you listen to the best one, on the 25th, you may wonder why it was dropped so fast. Greatest Story is the early, '71 arrangement, played almost in transition, to a rager of a Johnny B. Goode. Overall, 4/71 isn't the tightest period for Uncle John's (and in general), especially compared to one year hence. I do like the roaring versions though and wish they'd have kept this tone and arrangement.

1st Set:  C+
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3¼ stars

Highlights:
Bertha - Bobby and Phil focus on each other
Good Lovin' - one of 71's best; uptempo and a brief Darkness, Darkness
Greatest Story Ever Told>Johnny B. Goode - played as a tandem

SOURCES: The bertha-ashley.32077 has the mix corrected in many places and has better balance, but is boomy and too EQd in places. The unknown.32015 has the best clarity and the low end has bass notes instead of thuds, with fewer frequency and volume fluctuations, but it has been compiled from variously pitched sources. Big Railroad is slow and needs +2%. The last three of the 1set Set are a tad slow and need +1%. Truckin' is also too slow and needs +2% (so probably the same source as Railroad). The rest of the 2nd Set needs +1%.

Amazing Spring 71 show with a great HTH and an all-time epic performance of Good Lovin. Though perhaps not as canonical, this Good Lovin easily stands up to 4/17/71 and 4/25/71 as a contender for best-ever. The jamming between bouts of classic Pigpen is nothing short of extraordinary -- absolutely sublime, cohesive, and riveting interplay between Jerry, Bob, Phil, and Billy.

I was 19 and lived in Wilkes-Barre, not quite 20 miles south of Scranton. I had never even heard of the opening act,The New Riders...,and what a great surprise that was, especially with Jerry on pedal steel. The Dead put on a great show and I'm glad I got to see them at least this once while Pigpen was still with them. I did attend future shows, mostly with Keith & Donna, a couple with Brent......at places like The Spectrum (Phila.), Nassau Colisseum on Long Island, RFK Stadium, Watkins Glen NY, Syracuse NY. Needless to say, a good time was had by one and all.

What a blast. Very good first set in Scranton includes a perfectly paced Bertha.
Love this month best for 1971.
Songs like Bertha, Loser (4/10), Casey Jones(4/17), Big Railroad and Cumberland (8/15)sound better without piano IMO (and Garcia is on fire).

That's one hot Sugar Magnolia!

This is an amazing show from early 71'. Highlights include Loser, Hard to Handle, Bertha, Playin in the band,Sugar Magnolia and of course Good Lovin. Quality wise, this recording is great, there are a few flubs on the vocals at certain spots but who really cares, great show, great quality= must listen!

which one do you down load and what do you use to open it i want to get the whole show i have the second set from a friend i live next to scranton in dunmore and would like to have this ty

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Thirty eight years ago today the GRATEFUL DEAD performed in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where were you?

I couldn't be there in 71, but I showed up today, where were you?

5 Stars for the mix, recording, performance, and transfer.

I highly recommend adding this show to you 1971 GRATEFUL DEAD collection.

I downloaded this show a long time ago, I waited until the anniversary to write my review.

Eat, Drink, Be Merry and Listen to the GRATEFUL DEAD.

Thanks for the Love from 1971.

That comment was out of anger at an argument that I had with my devout Catholic parents, that involved religion.

Anyway, what I meant to say was that I find the Dead to be more "spiritually" fulfilling than any other type of organized religion. The Dead is an all-inclusive thing. Hell, they got Anne Coulter, the conservative psycho-b--ch, as a fan, that's gotta say something.

I was just wondering if the people in charge of the "Catholic Youth Center" knew what they were getting into when the invited this particular band.

As for the actual show... tight!!!!!! Definitely one of the best '71 shows that I've heard.

I was 17 in the spring of 71 and lived in Greentown PA with a bunch of hippy folk like me, we called ourself FREAKS not hippies then! Nobody was into The Dead, they were more Pink Floyd types so I hitched to Scranton by myself. I got there early in the afternoon and bought a ticket at the door,general admission. That night was the night of a dream. The room was clowded with smoke of one kind. The New Riders opened, Jerry played pedal steel on the entire set. The Dead came on and it is as represented here.The room was electric and they wailed.After the show it was late and I had to hitch back to my home in the mountains. I walked backstage, not passes needed and no security at all.I got in a conversation with Pig Pen and he offered me a ride on the Greyhound bus to the highway on ramp.I was the last on the bus and dropped me off at the entrance of the highway so I could hitch home. All I can is this recorded performance represents that night in perfect form. Except I remember Me and Bobby McGee was dedicated to Janice and I did not hear it here.

Rick Schmidlin

Google my name and find out what became of this 17 year old kid.

Sadly I was only 4 years old when the Dead came to town this Particular evening. This has always been one of the hardest shows to get on tape cd or any other format. I am just as suprised to find it here. The Dead never formally ploayed in Scranton again, allthough Bobby Phil aand the Other Ones have Graced my hometown plenty of times. As one other poster noted, the Scranton area is a wonderful place to live. Cosidering it now has it's own ampitheater and is smack dab in the middle of Philly and NYC Witn Bethel Arts And Mount Laurel also within a short driving distance. Also the Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre Pa. is only a 20 minuet drive. Wilkes Barre is also home to a spankin new arena also. Yep, if you like Music there is never a shortage of concerts. The lst concert planed for the Cathloic Youth Center was, (Get This) none other than Ozzy Osbourne. You guessed it! Canceled due to headless bats. lol This show is worth the stream download just for it's rarity alone not to mention it's a pretty good show. See ya all on the Road..

GREAT Darkness Darkness jam inside Good Lovin' short but very distinct in the second half.

Great show from an unlikely venue -- the Catholic Youth Center in Scranton, PA. Does anyone know how they ended up there?

What a sweet show. A great surprise and an excellent recording. Not a big fan of Big Boss Man, but Pigpen and the band really found the groove. And it continues throughout the remainder of the show.

I spent a good chunk of my younger days in Scranton (the CYC hosted everything from concerts to boxing matches) and living there was super convenient to venues in Philly, NYC, DC, Hartford, Buffalo, etc. Thanks for the memories archive.org...what a GREAT resource and treasure.

....what did I walk into here?!?!?! IMO, it would have been awesome to see a show in a place like this...it must've been tiny (and sweltering hot). I'd love to know the circumstances that led someone from the Scranton archdioces to negotiate a booking there. Also IMO, true religion is your connection with God whether you be christian, jewish, islamic, or whatever. The Dead were music and a party; period. It was a time to get out your bowling shoes, 3D glasses and bandanas and hit the road for a little escapism of everyday life. If you still (or ever) treat the Dead as any more than that, you need to wake up, come out of your tent, smell the coffee, and look around you. Don't disrepect any religion; instead, find ways to help your fellow man, surroundings, and those less fortunate. Maybe join a church and do some volunteering; it might make you think and believe and see things on a much broader scale than how to get from the Blossom Music center to Saratoga Springs. Who knows, it may even give you as a big a rush as a 30 minute Scarlet->Fire. In any event, I'll give this show a 4 for it's karma, energy, and Second that Emotion. God bless to you all.

amen brother! open minds; open hearts good show!

nice subject MikeK1987: "Screw Catholics" cause it's not like the dead were about including everybody in the music and about dialoguing with people about different ideas.

"Garcia:...I come from a Catholic background, but nobody in my family was very serious about it. I was forced to go church, but only until I was about ten or eleven. I was never confirmed."

I believe Jerry was actually a Catholic, not a professed good one by any means...but then, who is? That's the point of JC: He came so that we might all have salvation.

"You better take Jesus with you
heâs a true companion
Oh Iâm sure without him
you never will make it home."

Happy Holidaze.

What happened to April 28, 1971? Where is that show? It is a SUPER show, with NRPS openning for the GD...all in all 4:30 hours of terrific soundoard!!! I have plenty of others as well, over 1500 hours of GD and JGB, all ready for trading. If you are interested shoot email to greznikov@yahoo.com

Great show!

Playin---hard to hanle---sugar mags are very nice and well played. I think Pig was feelin it and gave it a little extra for the good Catholic girls in attendance. Good lovin rocks and the rest of the night kicks.

Sound quality is excellent.

Awesome changes through out the whole show. first set is great in doing that. I also thought it was funny that the Dead played at a Catholic Youth Center! God Bless the Dead I guess!

the "catholic youth center" was hopping on this night! damn the boyz sounded so good in the spring of 71. and the recordings are clear and rich.

THIS IS A HOT LITTLE GEM! I LOGGED ON THIS AM AND WAS PUMPED TO SEE A NEW DEAD SHOW ADDED, SO I HAD TO GIVE A LISTEN! IT IS WONDERFUL! SO HOT AND PURE, THANK FOR PUTTING IT UP HERE FOR THE WORLD TO HEAR!